Wed, Oct 29, 2008
Warns Operators To Check Proper Function Of Flap/Slats Warning
Systems
Following the preliminary report of the Spanish Comisión
de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de
Aviación Civil (CIAIAC) on
the August 20, 2008 accident of a Spanair McDonnell Douglas
DC-9-82 (MD-82) at Madrid's Barajas International
Airport, as well as the Agency's own evaluation of
DC-9/MD-80 family service history, on Wednesday the European
Aviation Safety Agency published an Airworthiness Directive (AD)
concerning the DC-9/MD-80 family of aircraft.
The Airworthiness Directive requires an update of the Airplane
Flight Manual (AFM) to include a mandatory check of the
functionality of the Take-Off Warning system (TOW) before engine
start prior to every flight. This system provides warning in the
case of the flaps and slats not being correctly set, thus alerting
the crew of an improper take-off configuration. This action is
being taken as a precautionary measure to improve the consistency
of pre-flight safety drills.
To ensure that the TOW check is a part of all operators'
pre-start checks for every flight, a recommendation for an
Operational Directive (OD) affecting the same aircraft types is
simultaneously being issued by the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA)
to their members, after consultation with EASA. The JAA are
currently responsible for remedial action related to air
operations, until the EASA Implementing Rules on air operations are
in force.
At the present time the cause or causes of the non-functionality
of the TOWS system of the Spanair MD-82 have not yet been
established. EASA is continuing to work closely with all parties
involved in support of the CIAIAC investigation team and will
consider any further action in light of the on-going
investigation.
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